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Injury Prevention Series Part 4 Acute vs Chronic injuries for Police Recurits and Officers

By David Wehrenberg

In part 3 Fitness Injury Prevention Series for Police Recurits and Officers we discussed the ankel. Part 4 we will talk about acute and chronic injuries.

Police recruits and officers who suffer initial acute injuries can return to activity level quickly if the injury is not severe, however if the injury is not properly diagnosed and treated it can evolve in a chronic state and be very frustrating not only physically but mentally for the police recruit. What is the Difference Between Acute and Chronic Injuries?

Regardless of the specific structure affected, physical training injuries can generally be classified in one of two ways: acute or chronic.

Acute Injuries

Acute police fitness training injuries, such as a sprained ankle, strained back or any muscle that suddenly hurts with a sharp pain or fractured hand, can occur suddenly during activity. Signs of an acute injury include the following:

Chronic Injuries

Chronic police fitness training injuries usually result from overusing one area of the body while participating in physical training over a long period. This often occurs after a initial acute injury which was not treated properly. The following are signs of a chronic injury:

What Should I Do if I Suffer an Injury?

Whether an injury is acute or chronic, there is never a good reason to try to "work through" the pain of an injury. When you have pain from a particular movement or activity, STOP! Continuing the activity only causes further harm.

When to Seek Medical Treatment

You should call a health professional if

When and How to Treat at Home

If you don't have any of the above symptoms, it's probably safe to treat the injury at home-at least at first. If pain or other symptoms worsen, it's best to check with your health care provider. Use the RICE method to relieve pain and inflammation and speed healing. Follow these four steps immediately after injury and continue for at least 48 hours:

The Body's Healing Process

From the moment a bone breaks or a ligament tears, your body goes to work to repair the damage. Here's what happens at each stage of the healing process:

At the moment of injury:
Chemicals are released from damaged cells, triggering a process called inflammation. Blood vessels at the injury site become dilated; blood flow increases to carry nutrients to the site of tissue damage.

Within hours of injury:
White blood cells (leukocytes) travel down the bloodstream to the injury site where they begin to tear down and remove damaged tissue, allowing other specialized cells to start developing scar tissue.

Within days of injury:
Scar tissue is formed on the skin or inside the body. The amount of scarring may be proportional to the amount of swelling, inflammation, or bleeding within. In the next few weeks, the damaged area will regain a great deal of strength as scar tissue continues to form.

Within a month of injury:
Scar tissue may start to shrink, bringing damaged, torn, or separated tissues back together. However, it may be several months or more before the injury is completely healed.

Who Should I See for My Injury?

While severe injuries will need to be seen immediately in an emergency room, particularly if they occur on the weekend or after office hours, most sports injuries can be evaluated and, in many cases, treated by your primary health care provider.

Depending on your preference and the severity of your injury or the likelihood that your injury may cause ongoing, long-term problems, you may want to see, or have your primary health care professional refer you to, one of the following:

How Are Sports Injuries Treated?

Although using the RICE technique described previously can be helpful for police fitness training injury, RICE is often just a starting point.

Here are some other treatments your doctor may prescribe.

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

The moment you are injured, chemicals are released from damaged tissue cells. This triggers the first stage of healing: inflammation (see "The Body's Healing Process" above). Inflammation causes tissues to become swollen, tender, and painful. Although inflammation is needed for healing, it can actually slow the healing process if left unchecked.

To reduce inflammation and pain, doctors and other health care providers often recommend taking an over-the-counter (OTC) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil,1 Motrin IB, Nuprin), Precaution NOTE: Always check with your Doctor before taking any over the counter medication! Questions about the appropriate use of NSAIDs should be directed toward your health care provider or pharmacist.

Rehabilitation (Exercise) A key part of rehabilitation from sports injuries is a graduated exercise program designed to return the injured body part to a normal level of function.

With most injuries, getting the part moving will speed healing.

With most injuries, early mobilization getting the part moving as soon as possible-will speed healing. Generally, early mobilization starts with gentle range-of-motion exercises and then moves on to stretching and strengthening exercise when you can without increasing pain. For example, if you have a sprained ankle, you may be able to work on range of motion for the first day or two after the sprain by gently tracing letters with your big toe. Once your range of motion is good, you can start doing gentle stretching and strengthening exercises. When you are ready, weights may be added to your exercise routine to further strengthen the injured area. The key is to avoid movement that causes pain.

As damaged tissue heals, scar tissue forms, which shrinks and brings torn or separated tissues back together. As a result, the injury site becomes tight or stiff, and damaged tissues are at risk of re-injury. That is why stretching and strengthening exercises are so important. You should continue to stretch the muscles daily and as the first part of your warm up before exercising.

When planning your rehabilitation program with a health care professional, remember that progression is the key principle. Start with just a few exercises, do them often, and then gradually increase how much you do. A complete rehabilitation program should include exercises for flexibility, endurance, and strength; instruction in balance and proper body mechanics related to the sport; and a planned return to full participation.

Throughout the rehabilitation process, avoid painful activities and concentrate on those exercises that will improve function in the injured part. Don't resume your sport until you are sure you can stretch the injured tissues without any pain, swelling, or restricted movement, and monitor any other symptoms. When you do return to your sport, start slowly and gradually build up to full participation. For more advice on how to prevent injuries as you return to active exercise, see the "Tips for Preventing Injury" box.

Rest Although it is important to get moving as soon as possible, you must also take time to rest following an injury. All injuries need time to heal; proper rest will help the process. Your health care professional can guide you regarding the proper balance between rest and rehabilitation.

Well there it is. These recommendations will help you prevent, understand and care for injuries series. Please keep in mind to prevent injuries you need to improve your flexibility, strength, endurance as well as using proper form. It is worth the extra time to follow this information to improve your police fitness level when it comes to your health and new police career. That’s why I encourage you to seek the help of a certified athletic trainer.

About the Author:

David Wehrenberg is a certified Athletic Trainer and Former Police Officer located in Maryland, District of Columbia, Northern Virginia. His website is http://www.policefitnessbootcamp.com